Center for Industrial Progress

Alex Epsteinis a philosopher who argues that “human flourishing” should be the guiding principle of industrial and environmental progress. He is the author ofThe Moral Case for Fossil Fuels(Penguin, 2014), aNew York Timesbestseller arguing that if we look at the whole picture, human flourishing requires that humanity use more fossil fuels not less. Alex has been featured hundreds of times on TV, radio, and in print, includingRolling Stone, theNew York Times, andFox News.

Alex’s areas of speciality are:

Fossil fuels

Green energy

Climate change

Fracking

Pipelines

Oil spills

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Alex Epstein on Jolted with Ben Manckiewitz (The Young Turks)

Alex Epstein on The Reason Podcast with Nick Gillespie

Alex Epstein on The Agenda with Steve Paikin

About Alex Epstein

Alex Epstein is a philosopher who argues that “human flourishing” should be the guiding principle of industrial and environmental progress.

He founded Center for Industrial Progress (CIP) in 2011 to offer a positive, pro-human alternative to the Green movement.

Epstein is the author of The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels (Penguin, 2014), a New York Times bestseller arguing that if we look at the whole picture, human flourishing requires that humanity use more fossil fuels not less. (WSJ review here.) The book has been widely praised as the most persuasive argument ever made for our continuing use of fossil fuels, winning Epstein the “Most Original Thinker of 2014” award from The McLaughlin Group.

Epstein, known for his willingness to debate anyone, anytime, has publicly debated leading environmentalist organizations such Greenpeace, the Sierra Club, and 350.org over the morality of fossil fuel use.

He has made his moral case for fossil fuels at dozens of campuses, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and Duke (his alma mater). He has also spoken to employees and leaders at dozens of Fortune 500 energy companies, including ExxonMobil, Chevron, Phillips 66, Valero, Enbridge, and TransCanada.

In his speeches and consulting work he helps companies take his pro-human messaging and use it to neutralize attackers, turn non-supporters and supporters, and turn supporters into champions. One of his major goals is to teach millions of employees in the fossil fuel industry to understand the value of what they do and how to communicate it.

What Others Are Saying

“With more politicians in climate science than scientists, the refining fire of debate has devolved into the burning of heretics. Alex Epstein’s The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels may make your blood boil, but his cool reason and cold, hard facts will lead us beyond hysterics to a much better future.” –Peter Thiel, technology entrepreneur and investor

“Alex Epstein has written an eloquent and powerful argument for using fossil fuels on moral grounds alone. A remarkable book.” –Matt Ridley, author of The Rational Optimist

“The name of the book is The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels. Highly recommended. . . . We all need to know how to make the argument for fossil fuels.” –Glenn Beck, television and radio host

“If you want to see the power of fine logic, fine writing, and fine research, read Epstein’s book. In my long career, it is simply the best popular-market book about climate, environmental policy, and energy that I have read. Laymen and experts alike with be boggled by Epstein’s clarity.” –Patrick J. Michaels, director, Center for the Study of Science, Cato Institute

“Alex Epstein [is] the leading energy philosopher in the US and world today.” –Robert L. Bradley, Jr., founder of the Institute for Energy Research

“In this brave book, Alex Epstein provides a clear, full-throated response to the catastrophists who want us to replace nearly all of our existing energy systems with expensive, incurably intermittent sources like wind and solar. We need more people like Alex who are willing to make the case for hydrocarbons. As Alex shows, those fuels are allowing billions of people to live fuller, freer, healthier lives.” –Robert Bryce, author of Smaller Faster Lighter Denser Cheaper